Author: Contributor

Do you find yourself questioning if your drinking has gotten out of hand?

Maybe you have overdone it just a few times too many lately, or maybe it has started to affect other areas of your life such as your work life or your relationships…

Drinking can go from an occasional, casual indulgence to a full-blown problem in a short period of time.

So, if you have found yourself questioning if you might be developing a problem, it might be time to work on cutting back on your drinking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH_Bah3pYfk

The Benefits of Cutting Back

Of course, if you feel you are at risk of developing an alcohol addiction, that is reason enough to cut back. However, there are several other health benefits to cutting back on your alcohol consumption including:

• Feeling better mentally and physically
• Looking better – more awake, in better shape, etc.
• Saving money by buying less alcohol
• Sleeping better
• Reducing your risk of heart problems
• Improving relationships and work performance

Isn’t your health worth it?

4 Tips for Cutting Back

Now that you know why you should do it, here are some tips for how:

1. Set limits.

   Set limits both for the financial aspect and the actual alcohol limit. Have a set limit that you can spend on alcohol and don’t exceed it. Next, set a limit for either the strength of your drinks and/or the number of drinks you consume. Self-discipline will have a positive influence in your life.

2. Inform your family and friends.

   It is much easier to stick to a goal when you have someone holding you accountable. So, let your friends and family know what you are doing. They might be able to offer you additional advice and definitely some support. It always helps to have someone looking out for you and ensuring that you don’t slip up.

   Also, if they were already worried about you then it will give them a peace of mind that you are making a difference.

3. Have alcohol-free days.

   You don’t have to drink every day – or even every week. If you drink daily, take a day or a few days off. Or, if you drink every weekend then take a weekend off. It will show you just how much better you can feel if you skip out on that beer every once in a while, and will also help reduce the amount of alcohol you are consuming.

   Just a few sober days in a row can help the body reset itself, especially the liver.

4. Explore other activities.
   
   It is no secret that drinking is an activity, and usually a social one. It gives you something to do, eases your mind, and can help make other not so fun things just a little bit more fun.

   However, there are plenty of other activity options, you don’t have to settle for a night of drinking. Try out something more active like swimming or Frisbee. Whatever it is that sounds good to you, try something new. Pick up a new hobby that does not involve drinking.

   It is much easier to cut back on drinking when you are focused on something else.

Anger is often a misunderstood emotion. It is often seen as something negative, which in most cases it is. It can cause people to do crazy things that are out of the ordinary and oftentimes is one of the main culprits of addiction…

And, for some, anger can be dangerous. It can be a destructive force that fuels someone’s actions…

However, anger is an emotion – just like sadness, happiness, worry. Anger does not have to be dangerous or scary. When properly managed, it is okay to feel angry.

In fact, feeling angry is actually healthy. Just like any of your other emotions, anger is your mind giving a cue on how you should react toward the rest of the world. So, to experience anger just makes you human.

But, during a time of stress and sadness, and especially during addiction recovery, anger can be an overwhelming emotion. To avoid it turning into a negative or violent emotion, you will need to practice anger management.

Here are a few tips to help you manage your anger in a safe and productive way:

1. Practice taking deep breaths.

   There are several different deep breath techniques such as deliberately breathing in and out deeply or just counting up to a certain number as you breathe.

   But, just by implementing a simple intervention step into your life when you notice you are feeling angry and overwhelmed, you can learn to calm yourself down before it goes too far.

2. Give yourself a soothing pep talk.

   Especially when you are mad, it can be hard to hear advice from other people. So, oftentimes, people telling you to calm down doesn’t really do much for you. However, you have the ability to talk and reason with yourself.

   Take a second to remind yourself why it is important that you calm down and continue to remind yourself that everything is okay.

3. Analyze your feelings.
   
   Sometimes anger stems from your own self-defeating thoughts…

   When you feel the feeling of anger coming over you, stop for a moment and consider why you are feeling that way…

   Are some of your thoughts promoting anger?

4. Focus on engaging in regular self-care and hobbies.

   This tip is more for long-term coping, but that is why it is the most important. Find something you love doing, something that helps relieve your stress. A lowered state of stress can also mean less anger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQlv83yfOY8